Folding chair bed



Dec. 5, 1933. ARZT 1,938,240

FOLDING CHAIR BED Filed Jan. 29, 1932 29 INVENTOR Lou/s H/ezT BY ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 5, 1933 UNITED STATES PATEN OFFICE P FOLDING CHAIR BED Louis Arzt, New York, N. Y. Application January 29, 1932. Serial No. 589,668

3 Claims. (Cl. -31) This invention relates to folding beds or couches and in particular to the type which, when opened up, serve as a full size bed and when, when closed, complete the formation of a settee or davenport.

A particular object of my invention is to eliminate, to a large extent, the multiplicity of levers, springs and other appurtenances that have heretofore been found necessary in the construction of a folding bed couch.

An important object of my invention is to provide a simplified construction making use only of a minimum number of springs and levers to provide a substantial bed couch which can be readily folded up and which will be compact and will readily unfold with a minimum of labor.

Another important object of my invention is to so space a supporting leg on the section of the folding bed that is, beyond the chair frame Cir when the bed is open, so that substantial support will be given the breaking point between the two spring sections as it has been found objectionable to leave this center unsupported as a heavy weight will cause it to sag or buckle at the center of the spring construction.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing:v

, Figure l is a view in side elevation of a bed couch construction designed in accordance with my invention, the chair frame of which the couch construction forms a part, being illustrated in cross section.

Figure 2- is a top plan view of as illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 3' is a view in section of the lower portion of the chair in which is shown in closed position, my improved bed couch construction,

and 1 Figure 4 is a section taken on the line 4- of Figure 1 and shows the method of pivotally mounting the spring frame and the method of securing the couch construction within the chair or settee.

Referring to the drawing in detail, 5 indicates the end members of a chair or settee constructhe bed couch tion which are joined by theiront' and back pieces 6 and 7 respectively, the chair or settee being provided with the usual padded backing or rest 8 which forms the back ofthe seat. In order that the folding couch construction may, as a separate unit be made up and attached to chairs or .settees in connection with which it is designed, I have employed the sections 9A made up of the angle members 9 or strips provided with the vertical portions '10 in which slots 11 are formed for the'reception of 'the tongues 12 formed on brackets 13 secured to the ends 5 of the chair or settee. The members 9 and 10 may be made separate, if'desired, and then secured together in any suitable manner and further braced through the medium of a brace bar 14. I have employed this means in connection with a single tab 15 through which passes screws 16 to hold the tab'15 securely against the end piece 5 of the settee construction, the tabbeing secured in any suitable manner, such as by riveting or otherwise, to the strip 9.

Inasmuch as both sides of the bed couch construction, are identical, it is believed that a description of one side will suffice and to thisend, it will be noted that the couch constructioniconsists essentially of an inner spring framel'l and an outer spring frame 18 within which isfsu'pported the usual, resilient mattress supporting spring 19A. The spring frames Hand/18 are connected through the medium of the spring frame link 19 towhich is secured one end of the reinforce bar 20, the other end being secured to the link 19 at the opposite side of the couch. An outer spring frame link 22 is pivoted as at 24 to the front lever 25 and to the link 19 .as at 21. The front lever 25 is pivoted to the outer spring frame 18 as at 26 and at its lower end to the seat frame support strip 2'7, as at 28. Use is made of an inner spring frame link 23 which is pivoted at one end as at 29 to the rear lever 32, which, in turn, is pivoted to the inner spring frame 17 as at 32A and near its lower end as at 31 to thestrip 9. The frames 1'7 and 18 carry respectively the spacers 17A and 183 which contact when the frames are closed to properly s'pacethe same.

The lower curved end 33 of the lever 32 extends through a suitable slot in strip 9 and has secured thereto one end of a tension spring 34. The opposite end of the spring 34 is securedin a suitable opening 35 in the strip 9; An intermediate link 30 is pivoted as at 30A to the strip 9A and at 30E to the frame 17. The inner end of the cushion frame support strip 27 is pivoted to the outer spring frame 18 through the medium of the links 36 pivoted as at 27A and 18A to the frame strips 27 and outer frame 18 respectively, one link 36 being disposed at each side of the couch and having connected thereto as at 40, the leg link 41 which is pivoted to the leg 42 as at 43 to provide an effective support for the couch when open, the parts folding to form a compact construction and at the same time permit the seat or cushion frame 37 to be supported so that its outer edge is flush with and rests on the side piece 6 so that the fact that the piece of furniture is a convertible bed is not apparent to the casual observer. ,7

Another important feature of my invention is the fact that the spring 34 has a tendency to raise the spring frames 17 and 18 when they are folded and has a tendency to keep them in the open position illustrated in Figure l and this tendency to raise the spring frames when they are in folded position assists in the opening of the bed and it will also be noted that the outer spring frameiB folds completely over the inner spring frame thereby distinguishing my invention over those employing a raising and sliding movement and then a dropping movement which requires a considerable number of levers and springs for efficient action.

The important features of my invention are the sturdiness of construction, the use of cushion frame support strips which are mounted in movable relation and maintained in such relation with the outer spring frame so that when tion in connection with which the bed is employed. The vertical portion 10 of the strip 9 is provided with a stop 39 which limits the forward, swinging movement of the intermediate link 30 with the result that while the couch construction has only two floor engaging legs for support, it is, through the medium of the intermediate links, held in stable position and readily lends itself to uneven surfaces when the bed is opened up.

It will be evident, therefore, that I have provided a simplified form of bed couch construction whichmakes use of a minimum number of links and levers and which supports the seat cushion in a particular relation to the outer spring frame and permits the entire constructhe cushion 37 suspended from the strip 27 and positioned face downwardly under the spring 18. Pivotal movement in an outward direction of the spring frame 1'7 is prevented by contact of the member 30 with the stop 39. When the bed is to be folded, the spring 18 is lifted and swung in an arc with the result that the legs 25 and link 86 are folded fiat and the seat frame 37 engages the spring frame 18 andat the same time an inward push on the frame 18 and seat 3'. causes the inner spring frame 17 to pivot on its members 30 and 32 against the action of the spring 34 with the result that it is lowered to the position illustrated in Figure 3.

The important feature of my invention is the positioning of the leg 12 and the use of the link il in combination with the link 36 to draw this leg up to folded position but more important is the fact that the leg 42 being positioned midway between the links 25 and 36 will support the weight at the center of the couch because the weight will be transferred through either the link 36 or the link 25 whereas in constructions using a leg near the outer end of the outer spring section, a sagging at the center of the couch results due to lack of support at the point where the inner and outer spring frames are pivotally joined by the intermediate links 19.

In closing the davenport, the front of frame 18 is raised and pushed inwardly to fold about its pivot link 19, the inward push lowering frame 17 into the bottom of the chair to permit frame 18 to rest thereon by contact of the spacers 17A and 1813. I

While I have illustrated and described my invention with some degree of particularity, I realize that in practice various alterations therein may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with a chair or the like having side members, of a spring structure including inner "and outer articulate frames, means on the side members for pivotally supporting said inner frame, a seat frame support strip, inner and outer strip links connecting said support strip with said outer frame, a leg pivoted to said support strip intermediate said links, and a leglink pivotally connecting said leg with one of said strip links, intermediate the points of connection of said link with said support strip and outer frame.

2. The combination'with a chair or the like having side members, of a spring structure including inner and outer articulate frames, means on the'side members for pivot-ally supporting said inner frame, a seat frame support strip, inner and outer strip links connecting said suport strip with said outer frame, a leg pivoted to said support strip intermediate said links, a leg link having one end pivoted to said leg and the opposite end pivoted to one of said strip links whereby a downward pressure at the point of articulation of said frames will be sustained by said leg.

3. The combination with a chair or thelike having end members, of an inner mattress frame, strips fixed to the end members, links joining the inner mattress frame and the strips, said links being pivoted to both, a spring connecting the lower ends of each of the links with the strip to resist an inward movement of the inner mattress frame, an outer mattress frame having an articulated connection with said inner mattress frame, a seat frame, a support strip, inner and outer strip links connecting said support strip with said outer frame, a leg pivoted to said support strip intermediate said links, and a leg link having its ends pivotally connected respectively to said leg and to one of saidstrip links.

LOUIS ARZ'I. [11.5.] 

